


The Life and Death of Jennifer Booth

by Mandosaro



Category: Doctor Who
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-01-29
Updated: 2016-02-06
Packaged: 2018-05-17 02:37:35
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 5,877
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5850865
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mandosaro/pseuds/Mandosaro
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A mysterious Space Station, terrifying Pirates, intergalactic smuggling, murder and overpriced cocktails sound like a handful for even the Doctor. Only time will tell if it is a mystery that all twelve Doctors can crack when working together.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Part 5

Doctor number one

The Tardis groaned as it finally landed. The Doctor flipped several switches and stroked the side of the central console. The revolving cylinder in the middle of the console sparked a couple of times before resuming it's normal movement.

"What's wrong my dear? Why the fuss? We shant be here too long. Just a few last minute checks then we'll be on our way."

Worried about the damage that the Monk had caused, the Doctor had landed the Tardis somewhere he knew to be safe whilst he took stock. Vicki and Steven stand in a corner of the chamber, eyeing the Doctor suspiciously as he talks to the Tardis. The Doctor turns a few more dials and taps a screen before turning to his companions with a slight scowl.

"What's all this then? Why stand around looking like a confused pair of Zarbi? We've landed in a space station. That Time Meddler could have done anything to the Tardis. I'm not going to send us hurtling into the unknown without first running a check or two. Stay here if you'd like. If you want to step outside then fine but don't get in the way."

With that, the Doctor turned and plucked his cane which was leaning against the console, and strode towards the doors. Steven glanced down at Vicki and rolled his eyes. Holding back a giggle, Vicki gave Steven a playful push and followed the Doctor. The doors swung open with a humming noise as the Doctor stepped outside to be met with a laser rifle. It was aimed precisely at head height. The Doctor's eyebrows soared up his forehead and his eyes screamed out his indignation. The rifle was being held by a young woman and her face mirrored the Doctor's alarm and anger. The Doctor attempted to asses the situation as quickly as possible before Vicki followed him outside. They were certainly on a space station as the floor had distant vibrations from the ship's engine. They were clearly in the hold as large crates filled the room. The floor, walls and ceiling were metal. A port hole over the woman's shoulder revealed their location. They were in space, orbiting a large, rather red planet with several fiery rings. It was the planet Collabria. The Doctor had never visited the planet but had heard lots about it. Judging by the size of the rings and the surrounding stars, the Doctor guessed that they were between the year 78,275 and 129,662. The woman was wearing a light brown jumpsuit that was covered in various stains. The laser rifle was clearly of Kalaya design due to it having two triggers and being made of a combination of metal and stone. This drew the year back to between 78,731 and 98,720. Judging by the hum of the engines and the speed they were travelling, the time window was reduced to 78,740 and 82,300. The Doctor then saw the packet of Kataa Flocko gum sticking out of the woman's jumpsuit pocket. The year was 78,739. The Doctor smiled at the certainty he had. As Vicki reached the door, the Doctor slammed it shut behind him.

 

"My dear girl, could you please aim your little gun somewhere else? We wouldn't want anyone to get hurt now would we? Now, if you could be kind enough to let me ascertain the damage to my craft, we'll be on our way?"

 

The Doctor turned his back on the clearly confused woman and started to look at the Tardis. It still looked like a telephone box from 60's Earth England. He would need to repair the Chameleon circuit as soon as possible. Other than that and a few scratches, the ship seemed fine. The Doctor felt the rifle stick into his back, causing him to sigh loudly from annoyance.

 

"Are you the Doctor? I know you change your face. Who are you?"

 

This surprised the Doctor and terrified him in equal measure. He had regenerated. At some point in the future, he would regenerate and visit this station. This was the first time he had been presented with concrete proof of his future. The temptation to ask questions was great but even he wasn't that much of a rule breaker.

 

"My dear girl, I am indeed the Doctor. To whom do I have the pleasure of talking to? You have me at a disadvantage. You seem to know who I am yet..."

 

"Don't start. You know my name just like I bloody well know yours. Now are you going to give me the Tardis key or do I have to prize it from your dead hands?"

 

"If you continue with this manner then I'm afraid I will have to take away your gun young lady and I'm sure you wouldn't want that."

 

The woman raised the rifle into the air and fired two times. Bursts of green light rippled through the air and slammed into the ceiling above them, leaving large scorch marks. The woman lowered the rifle and aimed it once more at the Doctor's head.

 

"Stop playing the fool. You may have a different face but I know what you're like. You ruin lives Doctor. You slaughter the innocent. You have some damn nerve coming back here after what you did to Jennifer. You will get out of here NOW or I will shoot you through both of your hearts."

 

The Doctor took a breath and opened his mouth. The woman fired the rifle and a bolt crackled into the front of the Tardis.

 

"NO! DON'T SPEAK. GET OUT!"

 

The Doctor turned and reluctantly reached for the Tardis door, resigning himself to the fact that he wasn't going to be able to help. As the tips of his fingers stroked the doors and the distant hum of his time machine vibrated through his hand, the space station lurched to it's side. The woman fell to the ground and the Doctor had to hold the Tardis' door frame to steady himself. Several crates in the hold tipped onto their side. Turning back, the Doctor could see several large ships outside the port hole. They heading towards the station in an attack formation. The ship at the front fired two more missiles. They slid silently through space and danced in unison before slamming into the side of the station which shook once again. The Doctor looked down at the woman who was trying to stand whilst scrambling for her dropped rifle. He could try and save her. There would be more crew that would require saving. The woman was now on her feet and locked eyes with the Doctor. There was a moment of silence before she looked away.

 

"Please...help us..."

 

The Doctor smiled and opened the Tardis door.

 

"Doctor, what's happening!?"

 

Steven grabbed the Doctor by the arm as confusion dominated his face.

 

"Unfortunately there will be a slight delay. Once we help these people out of this spot of bother, we shall be on our way. It's probably best if you both remain here for the moment and I shall be with you presently."

 

Before Steven could reply, the Doctor was back out the door then had closed and locked it behind them. He didn't have the time to save the crew and worry about Steven and Vicki. The Tardis was the safest place on the station. It would take more than a few missiles to break through those doors. With a nod to the woman, the Doctor swept forwards through the cargo hold with his cane clacking against the floor.

 

They left the hold and made their way down a long corridor. At the end was a blast door that slid open after the woman swiped a card on a nearby sensor. Through the door was the control room. All the walls were made of thick, gleaming metal except for the far one which was a large window showing the vast expanse of space. A wheel stood in the centre of the room behind which was a man, screaming out orders and franticly turning the wheel. Half a dozen crew members were rushing around the room. The first of the warships had turned to face the station head on. The Doctor approached a nearby screen as the woman ran to the man behind the wheel.

 

"Captain, what's the damage like?"

 

"Severe. We have critical damage in hanger bay 3 and the engine room. The hyperdrive has been destroyed. Minimal thrusters remaining. We have damage reports on Deck E, the medbay and the turbo-laser turret. We're defenseless and can barely move. We need to evacuate the passengers."

 

"No we don't. Not yet. Captain...Sir...he's back."

 

The Captain turned back and looked directly at the Doctor who returned his gaze.

 

"Get that monster off my station."

 

"Captain...it's not like last time. I really think he's here to help."

 

"Did he give you the key?"

 

"No but..."

 

"Throw him out the airlock."

 

"Captain I cannot ju..."

 

"NOW! Unless you've forgotten, we're currently under attack."

 

The Captain returned his focus to the wheel and window when a large hologram appeared in the centre of the room. It was an alien that the Doctor was not familiar with.

 

"Am I speaking to Captain Short."

 

"Yes, this is he."

 

"Captain, your ship is crippled. You are finished. You cannot escape. We will let you live as long as you allow us to board and remove your cargo."

 

"You know I can't let you do that Yrik."

 

"Then I'm sorry old friend. I really am sorry. All ships, fire on my mark."

 

The hologram disappeared as the ships outside pulled back to get into better aiming position. The Doctor braced for impact.


	2. Part 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A mysterious Space Station, terrifying Pirates, intergalactic smuggling, murder and overpriced cocktails sound like a handful for even the Doctor. Only time will tell if it is a mystery that all twelve Doctors can crack when working together.

Doctor number two

 

With a loud groaning and a brightening light, the Tardis landed. The 2nd Doctor moved quickly around the central console. Strange. He had planned on piloting them all to 27th Century Italy so that Zoe could see the second great Renaissance yet they were in deep space. Wherever they were, the Tardis did not seem happy about it. All the dials were waving frantically except for the one that measured radiation...or at least that was what the Doctor thought it did.

 

"...and then the Yeti was gonna come back to life but I crammed a rock in the wee gap to make sure it stayed dead."

 

The Doctor couldn't help but smile at the frown on Zoe's face. Even though she had travelled on the Tardis with the Doctor and Jamie for quite some time, she still struggled to believe half the stories that Jamie told of his time in the Tardis before she joined them.

 

"A Yeti? You're trying to say that you battled Yetis!?"

 

"Aye. A couple of times. Is that any stranger than a Cyber Man or meeting Medusa?"

 

"Well when you put it like that..."

 

"Now now play nicely children."

 

The Doctor cut short their conversation with a wave of his hand as he walked towards the doors.

 

"I'll just be a moment. You stay here and let me work in peace. I just need to reverse the polarity on the bulb."

 

Zoe and Jamie nodded and returned to their conversation. The Doctor smiled as he stepped out of the Tardis. He had become quite fond of those two. He hoped they would stick around longer than the school teachers. The Doctor emerged into what seemed to be an engine room. Steam filled the air and the heat was almost unbearable. Large machines were churning everywhere and voices were barely audible over the noise. Avoiding some rather hot looking pipes, the Doctor made his way through the room until he reached a window. They were indeed in space. They were orbiting a large, rather red planet with several fiery rings. It was the planet Collabria. The Doctor had never visited the planet but had heard lots about it. Judging by the size of the rings and the surrounding stars, the Doctor guessed that they were between the year 78,275 and 129,662. Through the vibrations of the floor and the size of the engines, the Doctor surmised that this was not a rocket but in fact a space station. Through the mist, the Doctor could see figures running from machine to machine. They seemed to be anxious about something. The Doctor couldn't make out all that they were saying but heard the word 'pirate' enough times to be concerned. Moving onwards, the Doctor skipped through the smoke and reached a flight of stairs. Clambering to the top, the Doctor found a sealed blast door. Fortunately, he had his sonic screwdriver in his jacket pocket. The Doctor chuckled to himself as he pressed the screwdriver against the door's keypad. The screwdriver made a whirring noise and after a few seconds, the door unsealed and slid open, allowing the Doctor to pass.

 

The Doctor made his way through the station's winding corridors before reaching another sealed door. The Doctor brandished his sonic probe once more and the door slid open to reveal a ballroom. It was spectacular in it's extravagance and sheer size. The roof was a dome of glass that allowed those who looked up to gaze at the stars above. On the ground was the finest and softest red carpet the Doctor had ever seen. Tables dotted the edges of the room where people in glamorous clothes were sitting and laughing with their drinks. In the centre of the room was a raised platform where a band was playing some heavenly tune that the Doctor vaguely recognised. Around the platform span those who had chosen to dance rather than drink. They laughed as they danced together and the sounds of merriment resounded throughout the room. The Doctor couldn't help but smile at the scene as he walked forwards. A waiter was walking past with a tray of some yellow stuff on some blue stuff.

 

"Sorry, what is that?"

 

The Doctor asked the question with a curious smile as he pointed at the food on the tray. The waiter turned to answer and his rather intimidating eyebrows rose severely up his forehead as he stared, slightly open mouthed at the Doctor.

 

"I'm sorry...these are...um...bits of...nibbles...yes they are nibbles of...erm...yellow stuff on some...blue stuff."

 

The Doctor's grin broadened.

 

"Oh my word, how splendid! I thought as much. I am rather a fan of yellow stuff on blue stuff. I'll have four please."

 

The Doctor grabbed a handful as the waiter fled. Curious. The Doctor shoved some of the food into his mouth as he continued around the room. Finding a table with two chairs and no occupants, the Doctor sat and continued to much on the nibbles as he watched those in the room. Judging from their various outfits, there were many different planets being represented. It was difficult to gauge a precise date as many seemed to be wearing clothes from a certain period in time. At a guess, the Doctor thought it would be the year 78,739. Why had the Tardis brought them here? Something felt wrong. It was like a tingling sensation on the back of his neck. Such a sensation was usually followed by mild to severe peril. It often meant that something dramatic was about to happen that would affect a large group of people. It was like being on the brink of a storm where electricity would be rubbing it's hands and getting ready to burst forward. If it was even possible, the Doctor's smile widened.

 

"Excuse me, is this seat taken?"

 

The Doctor looked up to see a young woman smiling down at him. Her dark brown hair was in ringlets and draped over her shoulder.

 

"No not at all. Please do sit."

 

The woman moved her blue ballgown around the chair and sat down rather gracefully. She had a small glass of green stuff that she sipped on before she turned to the Doctor.

 

"So you're a stowaway?"

 

"I beg your pardon?"

 

"My pardon is given but you haven't answered my question. You are a stowaway are you not?"

 

"What makes you think that?"

 

"Well you're clearly not a Collabrian and you didn't board at the other two planets we've been to. At least, you didn't board with the rest of the passengers. You are a stowaway."

 

The Doctor gave the woman a wink.

 

"Alright, you've caught me. I'm stowing away. Consider me to be Leonardo DiCaprio. Yourself?"

 

"Well Mr DiCaprio, my name is Lady Jennifer Booth and I do believe you owe me a dance."

 

"I'm sorry Lady Booth but you have me mistaken for someone else. My name is the Doctor, not Leonardo. I'm only h..."

 

"I know who you are Doctor. I know you're not Leonardo and I am not Kate but you do owe me a dance. The Doctor owes me a dance."

 

Jennifer stood rather quickly and held out her hand. The Doctor opened his mouth to refuse once again when he saw that she was almost in tears. At that, the Doctor put down his yellow stuff on some blue stuff and took her hand. Jennifer led him to the other dancers and they joined in the slow movements. Several moments of silence passed between them before the Doctor spoke.

 

"You know me."

 

"I do."

 

"How well do you know me?"

 

"Well enough. I probably know more about you than the people you let tag along with you. Where are they? In the Tardis?"

 

"They're safe. You know them?"

 

"I rarely meet your friends. Something about this station scares you. You rarely let them out of the Tardis when you come here if you can help it."

 

"How many times have I been here? I don't remember this place."

 

"I don't know. This is the 10th face of yours I've seen."

 

The Doctor stopped dancing from the shock of her words and broke his hands free from hers.

 

"10th!? I've only regenerated once! You've seen me with nine other faces!?"

 

Some of the passengers turned their heads at the Doctor's loud words. Jennifer took his hands once again and forced him back into the dance.

 

"Look, I can't tell you much. You told me that time is fragile enough here without too many more paradoxes. You need to leave Doctor. You need to get out of here now. Something is about to happen and you're going to want to stay and try to save people. Don't. You being here makes it worse. Please leave. Get back into your Tardis and fly away until I see you again and tell you the same thing."

 

"Have you asked me to leave before?"

 

"Yes."

 

"Do I listen to you those other times? Do I leave and let people get hurt?"

 

Jennifer's silence gave the Doctor his answer.

 

Then it happened. Several ships jumped out of hyperspace, loomed towards the space station and open fired. Missiles cut through space and slammed into the station. The music abruptly stopped as everyone in the room started to scream and try to stop themselves from falling. The Doctor and Jennifer's hands broke apart. Jennifer gave him one last tearful look before running across the room to a door in the corner. Another explosion shook the station causing the Doctor to almost fall to his knees. This seemed familiar. It felt like deja vu. This had happened before. Hadn't it? At least something very similar had. He didn't remember being in a ballroom but a space station attacked by pirates. It was at that moment that the Doctor remembered and cursed himself in over 257 languages. He had been here before. Not nine times. Just the once. He had been here with Steven and Vicki right after they had faced the Time Meddler. The Doctor strained his memory to remember what he had done. How had he saved the day that time. It came to him. He hadn't. The Doctor hadn't saved them. He had failed and now he would have to witness that failure again. The Doctor looked through the crowds of screaming passengers to see Jennifer vanish through the door. Not again. This time the Doctor would save them.


	3. Part 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A mysterious Space Station, terrifying Pirates, intergalactic smuggling, murder and overpriced cocktails sound like a handful for even the Doctor. Only time will tell if it is a mystery that all twelve Doctors can crack when working together.

Doctor number three

The Tardis landed with it's usual wheezing and grinding. When it have finally, fully faded into existence, the doors swung open as the Doctor stepped out with Sarah Jane close behind him.

 

"And you really think the peace will last on Peladon Doctor?"

 

"Why yes Sarah Jane. I really do."

 

Sarah Jane nodded and took the lead. The Doctor smiled as she searched their new location. They seemed to be in a large cupboard . Shelves surrounded them that were piled high with brightly coloured food from all corners of the known universe. There were tins of everything from baked beans to Clom chowder. The Doctor couldn't resist. He could never say no to nibbles and plucked some sweets from a jar. Jelly babies. They tasted rather good. The Doctor picked up a paper bag that had been left on another shelf and shoved several jelly babies into the bag before putting it into his jacket pocket. There was a distant humming noise that the Doctor could feel through the soles of his polished black shoes. This place had an engine. Clearly they had not arrived in 11th Century Japan as he had intended. It seemed that their meeting with Murasaki Shikibu would have to wait. Sarah Jane came to a large metal door without a handle. The Doctor joined her and after a second with the sonic screwdriver, the door slid open to reveal a large kitchen. Staff were running frantically in all directions in what seemed to be controlled chaos. The Doctor and Sarah Jane seemed to proceed unnoticed as everyone else was just too focussed on their individual task. They reached another door which also slid open and they passed by without being stopped.

The duo emerged into a dining room. Long wooden tables dominated the room with chairs surrounding them. Chandeliers hung from the ceiling and great oaken panels covered the walls in an attempt to create an extravagant and opulent feel.

 

"It seems Sarah Jane, that we've arrived a tad early for dinner. Shall we have a bit more of a look around?

 

"So that by the time we're back, the food will be being served? Good idea. Lead on Doctor."

 

The Doctor nodded and led the way to a door on the far side of the room. This was a simple wooden door and they passed through with ease into a ballroom. The room towered upwards to a large glass dome. The Doctor and Sarah Jane stared open mouthed at the stars above.

 

"Doctor...I think we're on a space ship!"

 

"Space station I would have thought Sarah Jane. Judging by the stars, I'd say we were in the..."

 

As the station continued on whatever orbiting trajectory it was on, a planet came into view through the great glass dome. It was rather large and had a flaming red hue. Several gleaming rings surrounded the planet.

 

"Well, no need to guess. That is the planet Collabria. I've always wanted to visit. Never have. Judging by the size of the rings and the surrounding stars, I'd say that we were between the year 78,275 and 129,662."

 

"That's quite a large gap Doctor."

 

"Alright then. Judging by the carpet of this room and those instruments there."

 

The Doctor absent mindedly gestured to several instruments placed on a raised platform in the middle of the room.

 

"I'd say that this was the year..."

 

"78,739."

 

The Doctor and Sarah Jane whipped round to see where the voice had come from. It was a woman. She had dark hair in ringlets that draped over her shoulder. She was wearing a blue ballgown that drifted across the floor as she made her way towards them. The Doctor smiled and prepared to make up a story as to why they were clearly in a place that they shouldn't be when he was struck with an almighty sense of deja vu. He felt like this had happened before but just ever so slightly differently. He knew that he had been on this space station before and this woman also seemed familiar. Then it hit him. Lady Jennifer Booth. He had been here before. He hadn't saved her.

 

"Lady Jennifer Booth. I'm glad to see you again."

 

"Likewise Doctor. Although you are slightly early for the party."

 

Sarah Jane turned to face the Doctor with a raised, questioning eyebrow.

 

"You've been here before? Doctor, you can't pretend to be clever and work out where we are if you've been here before."

 

"I'd forgotten. I travel to lots of places and a lot of things have happened since I was last here."

 

"Such as regenerating. I'd say this face is better than the last one I saw. I much prefer your clothes."

 

Sarah Jane seemed to become even more confused at Jennifer's remark.

 

"Regenerating? What does she mean by a different face Doctor?"

 

"All in good time Sarah Jane."

 

Jennifer took the Doctor by the arm and led him to one of the many tables dotted on the outskirts of the room. They sat down as Sarah Jane watched them from by the platform, unsure of whether to follow or not.

 

"Doctor, have we met before."

 

"Yes we have."

 

"Do you understand yet? How many times have you been to this station?"

 

"This would be my third."

 

"Then you still don't know yet. I'm sorry Doctor, but you need to leave."

 

"But I can't just..."

 

"You cannot save me Doctor. The more you try, the more you damage time itself. Please go. For that girl's sake. She seems nice. Too nice for you."

 

The Doctor turned round to see Sarah Jane was sat on the platform with her legs swinging aimlessly. The doors at the other end of the room had opened and guests were starting to arrive in the ballroom. Musicians also arrived and climbed onto the platform. Sarah Jane hopped off and quickly joined the Doctor and Jennifer.

 

"Doctor, I'm feeling a little bit underdressed. What are we doing here?"

 

"It's ok Sarah Jane...I believe we are leaving?"

 

"Oh...sorry...I didn't mean that we had to..."

 

"Don't worry Sarah Jane. We were leaving anyway."

 

The Doctor stood and extended his hand to Jennifer who smiled and took it graciously to stand also.

 

"Thank you Doctor. Try some nibbles on your way out. They're divine."

 

A passing waiter had a tray of drinks that were all green. Jennifer plucked one from the tray and gave the Doctor a wink. She then turned away and walked into the growing crowd of people. In a few moments, she had gone. The Doctor led Sarah Jane back towards the door they had entered through when the band started to play what could only be described as a heavenly tune. Sarah Jane stopped and resisted the pull of the Doctor. She looked back sadly at the ballroom with it's fine music, beautiful decor and the now dancing couples.

 

"Can we not just stay for a bit Doctor. Not to dance. I can't really dance in dungarees but just to watch. It is so lovely."

 

The Doctor hesitated for a few moments before nodding. Sarah Jane smiled and ran to the nearest free table to sit and watch. The Doctor slowly followed. He knew at any moment, the pirate ships would be upon them. He couldn't just let that happen. Taking out his sonic screwdriver, the Doctor ran a scan of the room. There was a security panel in the corner by the door to the dining room. The Doctor changed course and almost ran over to it. Sarah Jane didn't notice as the band was simply too good.

The sonic granted him access to the terminal. The Doctor did a scan of the surrounding space. No other ships. He then brought up an image of the space station. Another piece of the jigsaw fitted into place. This space station was the Celestial Beacon. The Celestial Beacon was a space station designed for the super rich. It was the ultimate getaway for those that could afford to getaway. However, history dictated the demise of the Celestial Beacon. It was destined to crash land on the planet Collabria. The planet was home to billions of Collabrians. The strange thing was that Collabria had been attacked so many times over the centuries that they had developed the most sophisticated defense system in all of time and space. They had designed the rings around their planet to act like forcefields. It would take the power of a star to break through. Yet somehow this space station would do it. Some of those on the planet would survive and speak of the fires in the sky. Several even thought they saw a firefight above them before they died but there was no wreckage to prove so. All those on the space station perished. The odd thing though, was that the planet was not scheduled for destruction for another 5388 years. They would build at least three more rings before being ripped apart.

The Doctor felt a sense on uneasiness. Something felt wrong. It was like a tingling sensation on the back of his neck. Such a sensation was usually followed by mild to severe peril. It often meant that something dramatic was about to happen that would affect a large group of people. It was like being on the brink of a storm where electricity would be rubbing it's hands and getting ready to burst forward. If it was even possible, the Doctor's frown deepend.

 

"Oh my word, how splendid! I thought as much. I am rather a fan of yellow stuff on blue stuff. I'll have four please."

 

The Doctor jumped at the sound of the voice and turned to see his past self grabbing a handful of nibbles. The waiter seemed to flee back towards the door to the dining room that would lead to the kitchens. His past self sat down at the table next to Sarah Jane and proceeded to eat and watch. The Doctor knew this was bad. He had met this past self before with his original self also. The clown and the pompous oaf. It was not an experience he wished to repeat. He watched as Jennifer appeared and strode across the room.

 

"Excuse me, is this seat taken?"

 

"No not at all. Please do sit."

 

As Jennifer sat down, the Doctor tried to catch Sarah Jane's attention but to no avail. She was enraptured with the dancers. The Doctor didn't dare approach but seemed to remember dancing with Jennifer. That could only mean they would leave the chairs. The Doctor tried to listen in to their conversation once more.

 

"Alright, you've caught me. I'm stowing away. Consider me to be Leonardo DiCaprio. Yourself?"

 

"Well Mr DiCaprio, my name is Lady Jennifer Booth and I do believe you owe me a dance."

 

"I'm sorry Lady Booth but you have me mistaken for someone else. My name is the Doctor, not Leonardo. I'm only h..."

 

"I know who you are Doctor. I know you're not Leonardo and I am not Kate but you do owe me a dance. The Doctor owes me a dance."

 

His past self and Jennifer rose from the table and joined the dancers. The Doctor rushed forwards and pulled Sarah Jane to her feet who then broke free from the embrace.

 

"Hey, easy. What's wrong?"

 

"We really have to leave now Sarah Jane. Right this second."

 

"Ok...that's fine. Are you sure you're ok?"

 

"Yes I'm fine. It's just that..."

 

"10th!? I've only regenerated once! You've seen me with nine other faces!?"

 

The Doctor and Sarah Jane both turned round at that to see the short man that had shouted.

 

"Doctor, it's that Jennifer woman. Don't you want to..."

 

"No Sarah Jane I really don't."

 

With that, the Doctor sped away with Sarah Jane hot on his heels. They reached the door and passed through into the dining room. Several waiters were coming and going and a rather short fat man was barking out orders on where to take the food. Something hit the space station. The music from the other room abruptly stopped and several waiters dropped what they were carrying.

 

"DOCTOR! What's happening? Did you know this would..."

 

Another explosion shook the station causing the Doctor to almost fall to his knees but he caught himself on the dining room table. Sarah Jane wasn't so lucky and fell onto her side. It was the pirates. The Doctor cursed himself in over 257 languages at the fact that they were still onboard. At that moment, Jennifer ran through the door from the ballroom as the Doctor helped Sarah Jane to her feet.

 

"WHAT ON SKARO ARE YOU TWO STILL DOING HERE?! I THOUGHT YOU'D LEFT!"

 

"We were slightly delayed but are heading off now."

 

"Where is your Tardis?"

 

"The kitchen."

 

Jennifer grabbed the Doctor's hand and ran forwards through the swarm of screaming waiters. Sarah Jane sprinted after them. They crashed into the kitchen and fought they way through until they reached the large cupboard. The Doctor struggled with the sonic as fleeing waiters shoved into him. He finally got the door open and the trio burst inside. There was the Tardis. The trio ran forwards, through the doors and into the central chamber. Jennifer closed the doors behind them and the screaming was silenced.

 

"Doctor, what do we do? How do we help those people?"

 

Sarah Jane's questioning look cut deep into the Doctor.

 

"We don't. You need to leave."

 

Jennifer's response cut just as deep.

 

\---

Doctor number two

The Doctor ran across the ballroom and through the door into the dining room. Trays of food littered the floor as a short, fat man was shouting at the fleeing waiters to clean their mess. The Doctor hopped, skipped and jumped over the chaos and entered the kitchen. There was no sign of Jennifer. The Doctor tried moving through the throngs of people but there were just too many. Dropping to his knees, the Doctor squeezed past an oven and crawled across the room. He reached a wall and used it to help him stand. Before him was an open cupboard and in that cupboard was the Tardis. The Doctor almost fell back down in surprise. How did the Tardis get from the engine room to here!? Surely Jamie hadn't learnt how to fly it. Much more likely Zoe but even that sounded unlikely. The Tardis door was shut so he simply slipped in the key and stepped inside whilst talking.

 

"You know, you really shouldn't simply fly around in my Tardis without me. Who knows what mischief you could get into with my supervision..."

 

As the three people in the Tardis turned to face him, the Doctor knew he had gotten himself into some mischief. His eyes locked onto the thin man with the frilly shirt and curly silver hair and the Doctor groaned.

 

"Oh no...anyone but the dandy."

 


End file.
